Fredericksburg Residents to See More Choice, Competition as Verizon Obtains Cable Franchise for City

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - More residents of Fredericksburg are a step closer to having choice for their cable television services, thanks to a vote by the Fredericksburg City Council Tuesday night (July 10) authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV.

The cable franchise covers approximately 9,000 households in the city. Verizon currently offers FiOS TV to more than 1,000 households in Fredericksburg and will expand service availability to more households over the next several years.

Verizon began offering FiOS TV in Fredericksburg in late April under the "ordinance franchise" rules in a new law passed last year to accelerate choice and competition for cable television services. The negotiated franchise approved by the City Council will be effective retroactively to April 23.

Verizon is providing FiOS services on the nation's most advanced digital, all-fiber-optic network. Only Verizon's FiOS network has earned the certification of the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers' homes.

"It's clear from the tremendous demand for FiOS TV that Virginians want choice and competition for their TV service," said Robert W. Woltz Jr., president of Verizon Virginia. "FiOS TV offers an innovative, reliable and competitive alternative to the incumbent cable provider - powered by our lightning-fast fiber-optic network.

"Fredericksburg residents are saying 'yes' to FiOS TV in rapidly growing numbers, and we hope to increase those numbers even more as we build our all-fiber network in the city."

Fredericksburg, the 20th municipality in Virginia to grant Verizon a franchise, joins Spotsylvania County and jurisdictions in Northern Virginia, the Richmond and Hampton Roads areas. In addition to Virginia, Verizon currently offers FiOS TV in parts of 10 other states: California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas.

FiOS TV is delivered over Verizon's fiber-to-the-premises network, which has industry-leading quality and reliability. Fiber delivers amazingly sharp pictures and sound, and has the capacity to transmit a wide array of high-definition programming that is so clear and intense it seems to leap from the TV screen.

In addition to FiOS TV, Verizon's fiber network also allows the company to offer consumers and businesses crystal-clear voice service and high-speed FiOS Internet service at download speeds of up to 30 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds up to 5 Mbps.* FiOS Internet service currently is available to many consumers and small businesses in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County.

Verizon has developed attractive new packages featuring FiOS Internet and FiOS TV products. For example, a three-service package featuring Verizon's Freedom Essentials calling plan, FiOS Internet service at 5 Mbps downstream and FiOS TV Premier, Verizon's lead TV offer, is available for as little as $99.99 a month with a two-year commitment.

* NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 60.7 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.